282 THE NATIVES 1788 been set down when the little incidents occurred, and from which 15 May. a more juBt opinion of these people may be drawn than I should perhaps be able to give. When I first landed in Botany Bay the natives appeared on the ^BoSS^*" beach, and were easily persuaded to receive what was offered to Bay* them ; and though they came armed, very readily returned the confidence I placed in them by going to them alone and unarmed, most of them laying down their spears when desired ; and while the ships remained in Botany Bay no dispute happened between our people and the nativea* They were all naked, but seemed fond of ornaments, putting the beads or red baize that were given them round their heads or necks. Their arms and canoes being described in Captain Cook's Voyage, I do not trouble your lordship with any description of them. When T first went in the boats to Port Jackson the natives The natires appeared armed near the place at which we landed, and were veiy Jackson. vociferous, but, like the others, easily persuaded to accept what- ever was offered them ; and I persuaded one man, who appeared to be the chief or master of the family, to go with me to that part of the beach where the people were boiling their meat. When he came near the marines, who were drawn up near the place, and saw that by proceeding he should be separated from his com- panions, who remained with several officers at some distance, he stopped, and with great firmness seemed, by words and actions, to threaten them if they offered to take any advantage of his situation. ^S?" ^° ^*^ *^®*^ went on with me to examine what was boiling in the pot, and expressed hia admiration to me in a manner that made me believe he intended to profit from what he saw, and which I made him understand he might very easily, by the help of some oyster- shells. I believe they know no way of dressing their food but by broiling, and they are seldom seen without a fire, or a piece of wood on fire, which they carry with them from place to place and in their canoes, so that I apprehend they find some difficulty in procuring fire by any other means with which they are ac- quainted. The boats, in passing near a point of land in their Manly Cove, harbour, were seen by a number of men, and twenty of them waded into the water unarmed, received what was offered them, and examined the boats with a curiosity that gave me a much
- Phillip's Voyage, p. 44 ; Tench, p. 53.
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